664. Are Thousands of Medical Cures Hiding in Plain Sight?
20 February - 51 minsExisting drugs can sometimes be repurposed to treat rare diseases. But making that match can be hard — and the financial incentives are weak. Guest host Steve Levitt tries to solve the puzzle.
SOURCES:
Chris Snyder, professor of economics at Dartmouth College.
David Fajgenbaum, co-founder and president of Every Cure, physician-scientist at the University of Pennsylvania.
Heather Stone, health science policy analyst at the Food & Drug Administration.
Sarrin Chethik, senior policy analyst at the Market Shaping Accelerator.
RESOURCES:
Chasing My Cure: A Doctor's Race to Turn Hope into Action; A Memoir, by David Fajgenbaum (2019).
Strong Medicine: Cr...
Series Episodes
All You Need Is Nudge (Update)
When Richard Thaler first published Nudge, the world was just starting to believe in his brand of behavioral economics. In this 2021 episode, we ask: How has nudge theory held up in the face of a global financial meltdown, a pandemic, and other existential crises?
57 mins
18 February Finished
663. Is Weed a Performance-Enhancing Drug?
The science says no, at least not in the athletic sense. But the psychic benefits can be large — just ask former N.F.L. star Ricky Williams. He says athletes should consider cannabis a healing drug, not a party drug. Even the N.F.L. is starting to agree. (Part two of a two-part series.)
50 mins
13 February Finished
662. If You’re Not Cheating, You’re Not Trying
In sports, the rules are meant to be sacrosanct. But when it comes to performance-enhancing drugs, the slope is super-slippery. (Part one of a two-part series.)
52 mins
6 February Finished
Why Don’t Running Backs Get Paid Anymore? (Update)
They used to be the N.F.L.’s biggest stars, with paychecks to match. Now their salaries are near the bottom, and their careers are shorter than ever. In this updated episode from 2025, we speak with an analytics guru, an agent, an economist, and some former running backs to understand why.
58 mins
4 February Finished
661. Can A.I. Save Your Life?
For 50 years, the healthcare industry has been trying (and failing) to harness the power of artificial intelligence. It may finally be ready for prime time. What will this mean for human doctors — and the rest of us? (Part four of “The Freakonomics Radio Guide to Getting Better.”)
1 hour
30 January Finished
